Taxpayers interested in how their money has been — and may continue to be — invested in Fairfield Hills are encouraged to come out Monday, November 18, for the second in a series of community information forums being presented by First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.

The second of four or five likely “community conversations” is scheduled to happen from 7 to 8:15 pm in the Newtown High School Auditorium, 12 Berkshire Road. That info session will be followed by a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, which will be handling routine matters with no further business about Fairfield Hills on the agenda.

The information sessions, which kicked off September 23, will continue through early next year ahead of the April 2020 budget referendum.

That April budget ballot is expected to include one or more binding advisory questions that will empower residents to determine whether mixed-use commercial/residential development will move forward as an option in the Fairfield Hills Master Plan — or could commit future bonding to razing most of the remaining buildings.

The content of those referendum questions will be informed by input received during, or as a result of, these community conversations, which were devised by First Selectman Dan Rosenthal after a volunteer committee reviewing the FFH Master Plan unanimously recommended including possible mixed use development.

That advisory committee work included a survey that took most of the possible future options for remaining institutional buildings on the campus into consideration. The results indicated there were many residents opposed the idea of housing — but who favored revenue-generating development.

However, Mr Rosenthal previously noted that there was nothing in the survey related to the future of those remaining buildings if they are not part of a mixed-use development proposal.

“Those survey results have to be viewed in respect to the fact that they leave out a big question about what the town should do with the remaining buildings,” he said.

Concerns and misinformation that quickly began circulating in the wake of released master plan revision recommendations motivated Mr Rosenthal to hit pause as he and other officials instead decided to hold several community conversations on the mixed-use proposal before scripting one or more advisory questions that will appear on Newtown’s next budget ballot in late April 2020.

The November 18 presentation will cover financials regarding the property since its purchase by the town in 2004; what expenses and revenues have been realized as a result of owning Fairfield Hills; past, ongoing, and future expenses and revenues; along with operational budget, bonding, and grants details.

“Some of the fine details have been tough to get, but we believe we’ve nailed down the best possible information on operational expenses for the campus,” Mr Rosenthal told The Newtown Bee ahead of the session. “It’s my intent that anyone attending will walk away a good understanding of what it costs the town to operate the campus, how much taxpayer money is being spent, as well as anticipated future costs for demolition and remediation.”

Mr Rosenthal also hopes residents who cannot attend or who have specific questions will send them via a special e-mail account, fh@newtown-ct.gov.

“Those questions will be addressed in the appropriate upcoming session,” the first selectman said.

Anyone submitting questions is asked to include their name and Newtown home or business address in the e-mail. Written questions can either be brought or mailed to First Selectman’s Office, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown CT 06470.

All questions received will be addressed by the end of the series of community info sessions.

Planned future sessions will cover options for the property, including anticipated presentations by individuals or companies considering the possibility of developing mixed-use projects at Fairfield Hills.